Giving Thanks
by guardyanangel
Summary: REWRITTEN/OFFICIAL VERSION. "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." One-shot of Kid Flash's Thanksgivings, present and past. Flinx. Part of my Hands of Fate Continuity.


**Summary:** OFFICIAL VERSION. "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." One-shot of Kid Flash's Thanksgivings, present and past. Flinx.

******Disclaimer: **Oh, yes! I am the owner of the Teen Titans! That's why I'm posting on a website made for FANfiction instead of working on getting the movie _Teen Titans: Judas Contract _to finally being produced!

**A/N: **As I said in my summary, this is the OFFICIAL version of this fic. The original has been kept for sentimentality's sake, but this is the version that I have in mind when I'm writing in Hands of Fate continuity.

On another note, I've been on a bunch for someone who's on vacation and may not be able to get internet, haven't I? ;) Heheh, what can I say? I got lucky and I have internet for at least a week. So, I'm trying to get stuff up that's been floating around, that way if I have to disappear again at least I'll have my fanfiction fix for a little bit. Hope this luck continues and I'll still have internet so I don't have to poof again!

Anyhoo, back to the story...

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**Giving Thanks**

**By guardyanangel**

_Keystone City, Thanksgiving Day, Present_

It is his worst Thanksgiving ever.

A quiet room. At first glance there appears to be nothing but a clock, a turned-off TV, a couch with a lump of blankets on it, and a phone on a table next to the couch.

The clock strikes 11AM and, as if on cue, the phone rings. For a moment nothing changes in the scene, but as the phone begins to ring again, the lump of blankets stir, revealing a shock of red hair above an angular blue-eyed face and a lanky body. Blue eyes dull, the boy slowly reaches for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Kid Flash?"

At the sound of the name, the youth straightens, "Raven? I told you not to call me on this number." There is a hint of anger in his voice, which seems uncharacteristic coming from one who seems to be such a comical character.

"I would call you on your communicator, but you never pick up anymore," the monotone reply does not hold any accusation, but the blue eyes of the boy narrow nonetheless, and he tenses.

"You know very well why I don't pick up the communicator anymore," he hisses

"I _do_ know."

At the simple reply, the boy's shoulders slump. "What do you want?"

"Did you want to come over for dinner today?"

The boy's laugh is bitter, and it gives the room an almost chilling feel, "Come _over_ for _dinner_? Have you lost your mind?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Some of the others are beginning to think _you_ have."

There is silence on the boy's side of the line for a long moment.

"Kid Flash?"

"Don't." When the teen finally answers, his voice is broken, saddened.

"Don't what?"

"Don't… just, don't call me that. Not anymore." He runs his fingers through his red hair anxiously.

"What are you saying?"

The boy shuts his blue eyes slowly, finally managing to whisper. "I quit, Raven."

"I knew that already, Kid Flash. We figured that out once you stopped answering your communicator."

"Then why...?" he trails off, unable to finish the question

There is a pause.

"It's Thanksgiving. I guess we just needed something to be thankful for. And even if you've quit the Titans, you're still part of the family." For once, the monotone quality of her voice has disappeared, and there is a hint of pleading in her tone. "Please, Wally."

"_Thanks_giving_?_" Any alarm that he possesses at finding she knows his real name is buried in his anger. His eyes burn with rage. "What is there to be thankful _for, _Raven? The only person I ever lived for is _gone! _She's _dead! _I can't…" There is a broken sob, and he buries his head in one hand.

"Wally…" Raven finally tells him after a long, long silence, "_She's _dead. You _aren't._ There's still plenty for you to live for."

"Like _what_?" he spits, his fury so apparent he has begun to quiver, rapidly, "Give me _one thing_. One thing to be thankful for, and I'll call today the best Thanksgiving ever."

There is a pause.

"Can't think of anything?" he sneers

"I can think of one thing," comes the response, soft, and perhaps a little bitter, "You and Jinx- you had that once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. Even if you can't have it anymore, you should be thankful that you _did _have it. Other people in the world may never be so lucky to find the love that you two had. So be thankful that you did."

There is a soft _click_ as the phone is hung up. The redhead hangs his head for a moment, before finally placing the phone back into its cradle. There are tears running down his face now, and running through his mind are the words Raven has spoken.

_You had a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love… Be thankful that you _did _have it… Other people may never be so lucky…_

Sinking back onto the couch, the teen pulls his knees up to his chest and sighs softly, thinking back on the love he once had.

~TT~

_Jump City, Thanksgiving Day, Not So Long Ago_

When Thanksgiving came around after the Brotherhood had fallen, the original five Titans had decided to hold a Thanksgiving party in Jump City in order to celebrate and get to know all the new members better. After a time, the storytelling had died down, and people had begun to play what they called the 'What are you thankful for?' game.

Cyborg had inadvertently begun the game when, hearing Speedy saying that he may have been attacked by Robin for a joke he'd made earlier, he responded, "I'm thankful for good friends, good food, and not being attacked by my OCD leader."

The group had laughed, and soon everyone was trading "I'm thankful fors…"

"I'm thankful for my good looks, awesome stories, and hot, WONDERful babes." Speedy had stated, the last three words being spoken a little louder than those preceding them, for Wonder Girl had walked by at the moment.

The Amazon had flushed lightly and countered. "I'm thankful for gifts from the gods, escape from the islands, and plenty of _interesting _boys to be around."

"I'm thankful for a fish-less meal, a respite from fighting crime, and being around some awesome land-walkers. Speedy excluded, of course." Aqualad had stated, much to the archer's chagrin.

Kid Flash, when finally inquired, responded with a smile, "I'm thankful for good friends, the happiness that everyone's giving off, and new love."

The majority of the girls in the room had _aww-_ed at the sweetness of his confession, and Jinx had simply rolled her eyes with a small smile.

As the party had come to a close, Kid Flash approached Jinx and told her, "You know, I don't think I heard what you were thankful for today."

Jinx had rolled her eyes and responded, "I'll tell you when we get home."

When they arrived back in Keystone City, the enchantress had held on to the speedster a little longer, whispering in his ear: "I'm thankful for a new start, new friends, and _you_. I never would have gotten where I am now without you. Thank you."

~TT~

_Keystone City, Thanksgiving Day, Present_

"God, Jinxy," the youth murmurs as he shakes his head clear of the memories of the past. "I miss you…"

He leans back in his chair, and is alarmed at the sound of a doorbell. No one has bothered to come and visit him for some time. Intrigued, he stands and goes to open the door.

He is greeted by the tired grin of his (former?) mentor- Jay Garrick, the Flash.

"Hey, Wally," the older man says gently, "Do you mind if I come in?"

Stunned into silence, he makes way for him. Jay Garrick enters the apartment, his eyes studying it with sadness.

"What are you doing here?" the youth finally manages to ask

Jay replies quietly, "Raven called me."

The redhead is clearly not happy with that, and Jay hurries to intervene. "I probably would have come by anyway. Raven's call was just a catalyst."

"That doesn't tell me why you're here, though."

The teen's voice is sharp, his words to the point. Jay realizes once more that this is not the Wally he once knew.

Briefly, he wonders if he will ever see that Wally again.

This Wally levels a glare at him. "Well?"

"Joan wanted me to talk to you."

"What did she want you to say?"

"You're not coping, Wally."

Wally's eyes are unimpressed at the comment.

"Your Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris seem to agree with her. They're worried."

This seems to catch his attention, if only briefly. He appears to mull the thought over in his head.

"And what do _you_ think?" Wally asks.

Jay plans his next words very carefully, not wanting to mess this opportunity up. He knows that everything could change in this moment, and he wants to ensure that it's for the better.

"I think that you'd feel a lot better if you accepted that despite the fact that she is dead, life goes on." he begins, "And I think that if she were able to speak to you from the beyond, she'd tell you that she'd want you to keep doing what you were doing before you met her- fighting crime and saving lives."

_Like she often told Joan you saved hers, _he adds silently, although he's not sure if stating such a fact would help or hinder what he was trying to do.

He meets the younger speedster's eyes, and notes that they are filled with tears. Jay's own heart reaches out to comfort Wally's as he reaches out and embraces the youth.

Wally sobs into his mentor's shirt brokenly. "I loved her so much..."

Jay nods. "I know." he says softly, "She loved you, too."

"I don't know if I could go back out there, after failing her like that..."

"You didn't fail her, Wally." Jay interrupts gently, "You stopped her from turning into something she truly hated. You gave her a love that surpassed all other and a life worth living. You saved her, Wally. And despite her hatred of being a damsel-in-distress, I'm sure she was grateful to you for it."

Wally allows the words to sink in, for a moment, before he speaks. "I'm... grateful..." he begins weakly, "I'm _thankful_... That we found each other. She... wasn't the only one who needed to be saved."

Jay smiles slightly, and then pulls away. An alarm warning of a jewelry store robbery has gone off on his wristwatch, and he glances first at it and then at his sometime-protégé.

"You're right," he tells him, "She wasn't the only one who needed to be saved. Neither were you." he taps the wristwatch lightly, gazing into the younger hero's eyes, "I'm getting old, Wally. I've been thinking about retiring. I want to know if you'll be able to step up to bat when that time comes. I want to know if you'll _want _to step up to bat when that time comes."

Wally looks at the alarm. He has not fought crime since the day that she died, has ignored every call and never worn the Kid Flash costume since.

He disappears in a blur, reappearing moments later in his Kid Flash costume.

"I want to," he answers the Flash, "But first, let me work with you a little longer. I'm out of practice."

Jay's smile this time, unlike those that have preceded it, reaches his eyes. "I didn't say I was getting out of the game right away, squirt." he teases, "You've still got a lot to learn."

A ghost of a smile skittles across Kid Flash's face. "I'm ready to learn if you'll teach me."

"Then let's go." Flash says, secretly relieved, "I'll race you."

With that, he bursts off towards the jewelry store crime. Kid Flash, trailing ever-so-slightly behind, can't help but let a soft chuckle escape his lips as he begins to run, and he vows to give Raven a call to thank her.

It is his best Thanksgiving ever.

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**A/N: **Well, there you have it. New and hopefully improved. I think I'm finally content with this piece. It'll probably never be perfect, but the way I have written it suits well enough for me. :)

Few things to note:

For those who haven't read the original version of this, I say to you the same thing I said in the original- I know, I know, I KILLED JINX! I'm sorry! I can't help it! Blame my literary muse!

Also, according to Justice League's World Finest, in DCAU Wally West is the only Flash of the Allen-West dynasty that takes on the mantle in DCAU continuity, meaning that the Flash mantle passes on from Jay Garrick, the original Flash, to Wally West, who I've interpreted from various sources to be our beloved Kid Flash. This is helpful in clearing up the seeming disparity between the Justice League's timeline and the Teen Titan's timeline, and appears to support the idea that JL(U) takes place a few years after TT.

The "Joan" that Jay Garrick refers to is his wife, Joan Garrick, who saw Wally as a sort of surrogate son in the comics.

"Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris" are of course Wally's uncle and aunt Barry and Iris Allen. Iris was/is, if I remember correctly, Wally's father's sister, and Barry is her husband.

Well, I think that's pretty much it for helpful notes. If you're still confused, if you wish to beat me with a bat for killing off Jinx, or if you want to express any other reactions you've had to this little baby, please leave a review! :)

Thank you!

~Guardy


End file.
